Sunday, October 31, 2010

Combine one of leading and award-winning food writers, Colman Andrews, with what is by most culinary authorities tout as “the chef of the decade”, Ferran Adrià, for an enlightening, engaging and entertaining must have book for the food passionate.

Colman Andrews, a name recognizable as one of the founders and the former editor in chief of Saveur. It is a name well recognizable in food writing from his many columns in Gourmet magazine to his cookbooks, Catalan Cuisine to The Country Cooking of Ireland which won the 2010 James Beard Cookbook of the Year.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

As a child candy corn was a favorite. Like Baltimore’s famous rainbow cake it would be eaten in layers, the triangular white top, then the yellow and finally the broad base of orange. The thought of eating candy corn today sends a ‘too sugary’ blast to my molars.

Just in time for Halloween is the haunting of the restaurant building on the corner of Boston Street and Montford. Is this location cursed? How many re-incarnations will this dining spot go through before there is success?

Let me see if I can remember the many lives of restaurants that were housed in the unusally shaped building.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Entertaining or being entertained over the holidays can be stressful. Wouldn’t it be nice to get some free advice on food and wine pairings for parties/dinners, how much wine to buy for your gathering, wine and cheese combinations and what wines to buy for gifts, .... read the full story and how you can sign up for the FREE webinar Holiday Entertaining Uncorked:

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

On my Facebook Page where you put your descriptor, that little box under your photo, are the following words, "Mention foie gras and lobster and I will follow you anywhere!" This tells you I'm pretty passionate about lobster and vigilant about watching fresh lobster prices. The real treat is bringing a lobster home, cooking it and munching on it in the den while watching a movie. Like steamed crabs, I pick every little morsel out of the bright red crustacean and the husband has NO PATIENCE whatsoever

Monday, October 25, 2010

Have you picked out your costume for Halloween yet? Do I have a place where you can show it off and possibly win big prizes for the scariest or funniest? Europa, under other guises is a banquet hall but on weekend nights when the 200 plus seat facility isn’t filled with weddings or mitzvahs they have cabaret nights.

Europa is going all out for their Halloween Ball which is Saturday night, October 30th starting at 9 p.m. Check out the details, snaps and video:

This writer is a cooking class queen. I’ve been to more cooking classes than most people I know, especially in restaurants – in fact, for twelve years I organized them. There have been good ones, demonstration one, bad ones, great ones, partial hands-on and full tilt get-down and get dirty classes so I feel I’m a good judge.

A number of people come to the cooking class who will never ever fix the recipe but love the behind the scenes look....read the full story and check out the slide show:

Saturday, October 23, 2010

From my lips to God’s ear and from Chef Jaime Luna’s lips to my ears there will be a third Mari Luna Restaurant. The paperwork is signed and the new Luna creation, Mari Luna Mexican Bistro, will be coming to you sometime in late winter 2011.
Chef Luna grabbed rave reviews on his first location, Mari Luna Mexican at Seven Mile Lane and Reisterstown Road and the remodeled Carvel location packs them in every night.

Friday, October 22, 2010

It isn’t too early to look at restaurant trends for 2011, didn’t they start pitching gifts on lay-away for Xmas in September.

From the restaurant and marketing company Andrew Freeman & Company of San Francisco comes their forecasting for the hottest trend for restaurants for 2011 and the word is pies: sweet and savory. You don’t have to wait to go to your favorite restaurant to get pie – no, you don’t, you can actually bake a pie, a Southern pie.
Check out Southern Pies and the almond custard pie recipe:

Gosh, don’t you just LOVE this time of year? The trees are vibrant with color; people are busy, busy, busy with all the activities and events. Candy corn is starting to permeate air – adults and children alike are gearing up for Halloween. The air is crisp and fresh and a fabulous time to be outdoors which brings me to Let’s Eat - Charles Street

Let’s Eat - Charles Street - Get all the details and check out the participating restaurants:

Thursday, October 21, 2010

A little 70’s I know but Chef Langton’s sign is not astrological it is the sign for her new culinary endeavor, Gypsy Queen Café. You know Chef Langton from Helen’s Garden Cafe in Canton which was recently closed by its owners Tom Looney and Ed Scherer.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

For my food loving friends here in Baltimore this culinary event is being held so close, Washington DC, that I had to let you know. This is an amazing opportunity for someone with dollars to spend, even a consortium of friends, to have Eric Ripert fix a four course dinner for you. Also joining you will be Chef Tom Colicchio and Chef José Andrés. This dinner auction package benefits D. C. Central Kitchen.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

St Leo’s Church is looking for volunteers to help make ravioli for their big Ravioli Dinner that will be held Sunday, November 7th. It is that simple. It should be fun, like the villages in Italy where everyone comes together to make a big meal.

Monday, October 18, 2010

It was on the calendar to do lunch today with Monyka Berrocosa, a friend and former colleague from our days at Vanns Spices. We had one very strong commonality; food - the preparation and the consumption. Though a number of years have passed from the days of Vanns we still make time to luncheon together at her home, my home or out. The decision was to meet at Monyka’s and walk over to the Avenue - read more about the lunch time escapades:

When the publisher offered me a review copy of Cooking for Isaiah, a mother’s journey to create easy and delicious meals for her son who is wheat and dairy intolerant this writer really wanted to see these recipes.

Not gluten intolerant and not dairy intolerant - why the interest?

Have you noticed the increasing rise in food allergies in family and friends? More and more are suffering from food allergies. It is supported by The University of Maryland School of Medicine Center for Celiac Research recently released (Sept 27) - Read MORE: Gluten free and dairy free easy recipes – Cooking for Isaiah

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Not your typical food and wine dinner, the James Beard Celebrity Chefs dinner comes the Watertable Restaurant at the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel this coming Thursday, October 21st at 7 p.m. with a cadre of award-winning chefs. To the best of my recollections it is the first time that there has been a James Beard Dinner held in Baltimore, so this should prove to be an exceptional dining experience.

Eight Baltimore Irish dining and drinking establishments are going for the glory in the annual Taste of Guinness Cook-Off this Thursday, October 21st at the FOP Lodge #3 – Baltimore City. The popular Irish dry stout will be a required ingredient in this cook-off to raise money for the Irish Charities of Maryland.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

MLA, Meat and Livestock Australia, created the Black Box Culinary Challenge which is a team-based culinary competition showcasing high quality Australian red meat products to chefs around the world from novice to executive chefs. Last week at the Restaurant Association of Maryland’s Expo at the convention center five regional teams took on the challenge for the glory, for the prize money and for a chance to move on in the competition.

Gordito’s Café proprietor and partner, Ken Diaz, gave me a preview of his Mexican home-style restaurant today. If everything runs smoothly this weekend with the soft opening than you can be first in line at 10:30 a.m. on Monday at this new Charles Street eatery.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

It has been hard to keep my mouth shut or let’s say curtail leaking this information but Baltimore has been chosen as one of 25 cities in AOL’s 2010 City’s Best Program. I’ve known the nominees in the restaurants, bars and clubs and lifestyle categories for about 3 weeks but the information was embargoed meaning it couldn’t be released. It is hard keeping secrets.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Last Monday Pazza Luna in Locust Point kicked off their Monday's pazza (crazy) pasta nights (Lunedi Pazza Pasta at Pazza Luna). The recurring event is family-style, geared to the whole family with adults being only $15 and children under 12 just $8.

Each table receives three bowls of pastas with house-made sauces: vegetarian, meat and seafood and a salad bowl - very rustic, *Italian family-style. For the adults at the table who want vino...get the full story, details and photo slide show:

Friday, October 08, 2010

Baltimore beer week kicked off last night and runs through Saturday, October 17th. There are numerous events going on at restaurants, bars and wrapping up with the first annual Beer Festival at Canton Waterfront. For those who love the hops, the Baltimore beer festival is a week of sheer potable bliss but this IS NOT MY PICK.

I don’t love beer, I don’t like beer – I confess. All-in-all, I’m not much of a drinker....find out more about my foodie choice for the weekend:

Tuesday, October 05, 2010

Berlin Film Festival selection, Tribeca Film Festival selection and Venice Film Festival Special Jury Prize winner Soul Kitchen has a showing at The Charles Theater on Sunday October 10th for their cinema Sundays. If you love food movies like Mostly Martha, Eat.Drink.Man.Woman, Woman on Top, Chocolat, Tampopo, Big Night and more this German award winner looks like sheer entertainment and great fun.

Monday, October 04, 2010

On September 8th you might have read my Hard Hat Lunch post on the under construction Kona Grill located at 1 E. Pratt Street. Just shy of 30 days and baby, they have come a long way. After seeing where they were on that day and being at the grand opening over the weekend, I am truly amazed.

This one of many Kona Grills to open nationwide and you can tell they know what they are doing. They spared no expense for the select group of guests invited to the grand opening celebration

You’ve got the change, I know you do! Just lift the cushion from you sofa, ladies check the bottom of your purses, the car cup holder or your kid’s piggy bank and head over to Ledo’s Pizza on Tuesday, October 5th for a small cheese pizza for just fifty five cents.

Saturday, October 02, 2010

Everyone has had one of the Oh My God (OMG) moments at a restaurant where you ate something so wonderful, it was a culinary epiphany. You walked away from the table in an ethereal state of mind. Well if you haven’t, may one be in your future very, very soon.

Friday, October 01, 2010

Peerce’s Plantation for many years was one of few go to places for the Lacoste, Burberry and J Crew horse set in Northern Baltimore county. A beautiful location near the Loch Raven reservoir Peerce’s thrived for many years but that changed. The site has gone through owners and re-incarnations in the past ten years. Now refurbished and renovated the restaurant is ready to open.

A bust of the famous actor, singer Kevin Bacon has been created out of bacon and bacon bits. This isn’t the first time food sculpture has been used to promote a product but this time it is being auctioned off on E-Bay for charity.

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About Dining Dish

Dining Dish (a.k.a, Dara Bunjon) is founder of Dara Does It, which caters to the food industry everything from PR to food styling to cooking instructions, and more. Enjoy her rants, raves, recipes and food adventures, and let her know yours!

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